Hildegarde Naughton

Tá an síneadh atá le cur leis an scoil, ar thagair an Teachta dó, ceadaithe le dul isteach i bpíblíne thionscadail mo Roinne chun seomra ranga príomhshrutha amháin agus trí sheomra oideachais speisialta a chur ar fáil. Rinneadh é a chineachadh chun seachadta chuig údarás na scoile. In early June, departmental officials contacted the school to advise that its project remained under review in the c…

Mar is amhlaidh le gach tionscadal tógála scoile, déantar iad a mheas i gcomhthéacs thosaíocht fhoriomlán an chláir agus paraiméadair mhaoinithe an phlean forbartha náisiúnta, PFN. I bplean infheistíochta earnála PFN mo Roinne, leagtar amach béim mo Roinne ar acmhainn reatha a uasmhéadú agus tús áite a thabhairt d’fheidhmiú céimneach tionscadail chun na riachtanais is práinní a shásamh, go háirith…

It is important to note that only projects that are already at tender stage or close to be tender ready are included in the tranche of the NDP. The Department-led energy and condition survey has been conducted right throughout the country. That is being considered at the moment. We are looking at a new prioritisation list for the next tranche, so priority projects at earlier stages of the pipeline…

I am looking forward to Sunday, if I can squeeze that in. The roll-out of my Department’s climate action summer works scheme is a key part of our commitment under the national development plan to support investment in the existing school estate while also delivering on the climate action agenda. Through the scheme, schools can undertake a wide range of improvement projects and targeted climate me…

The next tranche of approvals is due this coming October for summer 2027. Drawing on experience from the Department's pathfinder programme, the new summer works scheme includes several climate action measures. Schools applying for the scheme select their preferred project category. There are ten categories of projects supported under this scheme, and all schools that applied for laboratory upgrade…

We listen to schools around further supports that they need. Under the last scheme, any school that applied for laboratory upgrades received them. Some 63 projects were approved. I can follow up with the Department in relation to moving that along. Schools can apply for one of the ten categories. I will outline them because sometimes there is confusion in relation to those categories. They are: cl…

Education about domestic and gender-based violence is addressed in the SPHE curriculum at both junior cycle and senior cycle. An updated junior cycle SPHE specification was rolled out in schools from September 2023, with all schools required to provide the subject for all junior cycle students. An updated senior cycle SPHE specification was published in 2024 and is being introduced on a phased bas…

The Deputy raises a very important issue. We have seen reports on the news in recent weeks on the impact of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. It is important that we raise awareness, as a society. These are also conversations that need to happen at home, with parents. It is important that we situate the area of learning within the SPHE programme, rather than in a separate programme. SPH…

I welcome the opportunity to respond to this motion. I recognise and share the genuine concern felt by many families at the beginning of the new school year, which can bring real and often significant financial pressure. I have listened to parents who have described the financial pressures they face when a number of education-related costs arise at the same time. That is why the Government has mad…

Ireland has made remarkable progress in promoting and protecting the rights of LGBTQI+ people. Pride offers us a valuable moment to reflect on that journey, to celebrate the diversity, inclusion and joy that define it and to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQI+ community. I want to acknowledge those who campaigned for equality at a time when doing so required great courage. The freedoms we recogn…

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) and (Section 51(3)) (Commission of Investigation into the Handling of Historical Child Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools) Regulations 2026; a copy of which was laid in draft before Dáil Éireann on the 16th June, 2026.

I thank Deputy Kenny for his question. My Department is in the final stages of work on the first special needs assistant workforce development plan and associated documents. The plan provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and supporting SNAs, children with special educational needs and school communities. It will, through a co-created series of policy developments, strengthen, clarif…

I thank the Deputy. I want to publish these documents within the coming weeks. They are at an advanced stage and they were codesigned with SNAs, stakeholders and advocacy groups. The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, and I met with them all again recently. We did a day-long session looking at all of these documents to make sure we get this right. The new circular to replace Circulars 30/2014 and…

I should have said at the outset that we have more SNAs now than ever before. There were 24,896 SNAs in our schools. We will have over 26,000 this coming September. I absolutely know, as a former teacher, the value and the role of the SNA. I do not need to tell the Deputy, Members of this House or indeed parents or young children and students themselves who need the support of SNAs working with th…

I thank the Deputy for his question. School secretaries and caretakers are at the heart of schools in this country and they are the key interface, as we all know, between students, parents, school leaders and other staff. Without them, our schools would be unsustainable, given the value of what they contribute, so supporting our school staff is an absolute priority. My Department has been engagin…

I concur with everything the Deputy has said there. I met with the school secretaries and caretakers in my own constituency at the time. I know many of them. They are very familiar to me. They do not take going out on protests lightly. They did not want to be there. I heard that loud and clear and I recognise that a comparable pension entitlement and enhanced terms and conditions are, understandab…

Regarding secretaries and caretakers being given access to the single public service pension scheme, engagement, supported by the State's industrial relation bodies, has been ongoing. As with all industrial relations processes where engagement is sensitive and complex, discussions remain confidential. My Department welcomed the commencement of the auto-enrolment retirement savings scheme, which i…

I had a wonderful visit to Scoil Mhuire Milford last week with Deputy Mac Lochlainn, Senator Manus Boyle and other Deputies. I want to commend the work of the school. You can see the fantastic ethos there, the learning and teaching and the warmth that is evident there. I always say it is very clear when you walk into a school the atmosphere that is there and that was very apparent in Scoil Mhuire …

As the Deputy knows, the school operates on a tight urban site which adjoins a relatively busy road than most rural schools. The school has identified various issues with accommodation, including traffic management, uneven and small internal floor areas and, as I could see for myself, a sloping site topography and a limited play space. The school also referenced expected future housing growth and …

I thank the Deputy. He will appreciate I cannot confirm anything there in the Dáil Chamber. All I can say is it was great to see the school for myself. I know the great work happening there, the constraints the school is working within and the fantastic job it is doing in relation to teaching and learning. The enrolment figures are important. I understand the school says it has that work completed…

My Department is in the final stages of work on the first special needs assistant workforce development plan and associated documents. The plan provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and supporting SNAs, children with special educational needs and school communities. It will, through a co-created series of policy developments strengthen, clarify and offer clear direction and consiste…

"Yes" is the short answer. This has been the result of a huge amount of collaboration and engagement and has been co-designed by SNAs and education stakeholders. The Deputy is right about the evolved role of the SNA. It goes beyond the primary care needs. There are the social, emotional and behavioural supports that young people and students require. We also want to make sure SNAs are getting adeq…

I am glad the Deputy raised this issue because we are increasing the number of SNAs. There are 24,896 SNAs in our schools. By next September we will have over 26,000 SNAs. Between this year and next year, we have funding for 3,000 SNAs. We will be continuing to invest in our special needs assistants. They value and provide support for our children and students, particularly children coming into pr…

As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP sectoral investment plan for the education and youth sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. Of that €7.55 billion investment, €5 billion will be used for project rollout to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings. In this regard, I published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche …

There has been significant investment in Carlow and Kilkenny due to the demographic changes there. I am aware that across the country there are many schools. Some of them were happy they were on that list, and others were disappointed that there were not. There is work under way in my Department on a new prioritisation list of schools. There was a conditional energy survey carried out across all s…